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  4. Office of the Secretary
  5. Committee Management Office

Committee Management Office

The Committee Management Office (CMO) exercises control and lends oversight to all DHS Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) related committees; equips the Designated Federal Officials (DFO) and Alternate Designated Official (DFO) of each committee with the tools necessary to carry out their committee duties, facilitates stakeholder discussions; offers innovative solutions to FACA issues; and routinely provides the Department’s senior leaders with a snapshot of the FACA program.

Mike Miron - Committee Management Officer

Julia Hanson-Takyi - Associate Director

Sarahjane Call - Associate Director

Board of Visitor for the National Fire Academy (FEMA)

  • Mr. Eriks Gabliks, DFO Designation Date: February 3, 2021

Cybersecurity Advisory Committee (CISA)

  • Ms. Megan Tsyui, DFO Designation Date: June 14, 2021

Commercial Customs Operations Advisory Committee (CBP)

  • Ms. Valarie Neuhart, DFO Designation Date: February 28, 2017

Data Privacy and Integrity Advisory Committee (HQ)

  • Ms. Sandra Taylor, DFO Designation Date: July 26, 2021

Faith-Based Security Advisory Council (HQ)

  • Mr. Sameer Hossain, DFO Designation Date: December 14, 2022

Great Lakes Pilotage Advisory Committee (Coast Guard)

  • Mr. Kevin Kiefer, DFO Designation Date: May 9, 2022

Homeland Security Academic Partnership Council (HQ)

  • Ms. Traci Silas, DFO Designation Date: March 2022

Homeland Security Advisory Council (HQ)

  • Ms. Rebecca Sternhell, DFO Designation Date: October 6, 2022

Homeland Security Science and Technology Advisory Committee (S&T)

  • Mr. Stanley Cunningham, DFO

National Merchant Marine Personnel Advisory Committee (Coast Guard)

  • Ms. Mayte Medina, DFO Designation Date: February 17, 2021

National Merchant Mariner Medical Advisory Committee (Coast Guard)

  • Ms. Mayte Medina, DFO Designation Date: February 17, 2021

National Advisory Council (FEMA)

  • Mr. Robert Long, DFO Designation Date: June 23, 2021

National Boating Safety Advisory Committee (Coast Guard)

  • Mr. Verne Gifford, DFO Designation Date: September 21, 2017

National Chemical Transportation Safety Advisory Committee (Coast Guard)

  • LCDR Dan Velez, DFO Designation Date: February 17, 2021

National Commercial Fishing Safety Advisory Committee (Coast Guard)

  • CAPT Mark Neeland, DFO Designation Date: July 19, 2022

National Maritime Security Advisory Committee (Coast Guard)

  • CAPT Andrew Meyers, DFO Designation Date: August 16, 2021

National Navigation Safety Advisory Committee (Coast Guard)

  • CAPT Steven Ramassini, DFO Designation Date: August 8, 2022

National Offshore Safety Advisory Committee (Coast Guard)

  • Mr. Patrick Clark, DFO Designation Date: August 16, 2021

National Towing Safety Advisory Committee (Coast Guard)

  • Mr. Matthew Layman, DFO Designation Date: August 16, 2021

President's National Infrastructure Advisory Council (CISA)

  • TBA

President's National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee (CISA)

  • Ms. Christina Berger, DFO 

Technical Mapping Advisory Council (FEMA)

  • Mr. Brian Koper, DFO Designation Date: November 24, 2020

User Fee Advisory Committee (CBP)

  • Ms. Valarie Neuhart, DFO Designation Date: February 28, 2017

Aviation Security Advisory Committee (TSA)

  • Ms. Tamika McCree Elhilali, DFO

Critical Infrastructure Partnership Advisory Council (CISA)

  • Ms. Amy Campbell, DFO

Cyber Investigations Advisory Board (Secret Service)

  • Ms. Emma Wormser, DFO

Cyber Safety Review Board (CISA)

  • Mr. Michael Aycock, DFO

Public-Private Analytic Exchange Program (Intel)

  • Ms. Tammy Padilla, Program Manager

Surface Transportation Security Advisory Committee (STSAC)

  • Ms. Judith Harroun-Lord, DFO

Transatlantic Aviation Industry Roundtable Committee (HQ)

  • TBA

Tribal Homeland Security Advisory Committee

  • Ms. Miriam Enriquez

Below are frequently asked questions related to the Committee Management Office.

Q: Who is my main point of contact for questions?

A: Your Designated Federal Officer/Official (DFO). The DFO is responsible for approving or calling the meeting of the advisory committee, approving the agenda, attending meetings and all other aspects involving conduct of an advisory committee meeting.

Q: How is a member appointed?

A: Apply via notice in the Federal Register, preliminary list is sent to the FACA Director for background check/vetting through the White House Liaison’s Office, and appointment letter is sent to the candidate.

Q: What is the resignation process?

A: Member must send the DFO written documentation of the need to resign and include an effective date for the resignation.

Q: What is the reappointment process?

A: Member must submit written documentation to the DFO requesting an extended term, member’s name is submitted along with all other preliminary list names to the FACA Director for background check/vetting through the White House Liaison’s Office, and appointment letter is sent to the candidate.

Q: Is there a time limit on the number of years I can serve?

A: Members may serve up to 6 consecutive years before rolling off for at least one term. “Term” is defined in each committee’s bylaws.

Q: Can I serve on more than one DHS Federal Advisory Committee?

A: If necessary, yes. However, it is discouraged because members must aggregate their hours of service for all Agency involvement.

Q: What is the expected time commitment for my role?

A: No more than 130 days during any 365-day period. You may also refer to Ethics guidance.

Q: Can I serve on more than one subcommittee?

A: Yes, but the DFO must assign member participation.

Q: Do I need to submit a financial disclosure form? If so, why?

A: All Special Government Employees (SGEs) must submit Office of Government Ethics (OGE) Form 450s annually. Once annual submission applies Federal government-wide. Since SGEs represent themselves on advisory committees (instead of representatives who speak for a group or organization), financial disclosure forms are necessary to address/resolve conflicts of interest.

Q: Do administrative sessions need to be recorded?

A: No, but you need to capture that it occurred. Additionally, for your recordkeeping you need to capture that you had an admin session.

Q: What is the difference between a meeting and a session?

A: Committee meeting - Any gathering of advisory committee members (whether in person or through electronic means) held with the approval of an agency for the purpose of deliberating on the substantive matters upon which the advisory committee provides advice or recommendations.

Session/Preparatory work - Meetings of two or more advisory committee or subcommittee members convened solely to gather information, conduct research, or analyze relevant issues and facts in preparation for a meeting of the advisory committee, or to draft position papers for deliberation by the advisory committee.

Q: Can we submit our own vetting to speed the process up?

A: No, the vetting process requires the CMO to submit the candidates received to the White House Liaison. Once this has been submitted the White House reviews based on the order of priority.

Q: What is an ACR?

A: ACR refers to the Annual Comprehensive Review. This is a review of advisory committees’ activities and costs. The review is conducted annually by the Secretariat.

Last Updated: 08/03/2023
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